The invention concerns a single-phase stepping motor. Such stepping motors are known in the prior art, for instance as described in Patent CH-PS No. 541,893. Stepping motors of this type typically include a permanently magnetized rotor having at least one north pole and one south pole and a stator having at least two main poles and two auxiliary poles. The main poles comprise a north and south pole connected by a magnetic yoke around which is wound a coil. A current through the coil magnetizes the two main poles in opposite directions, depending on the direction of the current. The auxiliary poles are not energized, but get their magnetism by induction from the main poles. The pole pieces of the auxiliary poles are placed opposite the main poles and are displaced by a geometric and an electrical phase angle, generally designated .alpha.. The sense and magnitude of this offset angle determines the sense of the rotation of the stepping motor when it is energized. It is characteristic of stepping motors that the drive torque, generated by an energizing electrical pulse, has a comparatively narrow maximum which leads to lack of smoothness in rotation.